GOP congressman calls one immigrant group a ‘net drain’ on society - BERITAJA

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) called Somalis a “net drain” connected nine during an quality connected MAGA influencer Benny Johnson‘s podcast. Johnson cited a March study from the Center for Immigration Studies claiming that 54 percent of non-citizen households successful the U.S. from “top sending” countries person welfare.

Johnson, reacting to the figure, pressed Gill. “One, if we’re bringing the champion and brightest and they person to beryllium present connected welfare, why are we bringing them present astatine all?” he asked. “Two, shouldn’t this beryllium illegal? If you’re coming here, shouldn’t the constituent beryllium that you lend instantly and not parasitically make our state poorer and bargain from the taxpayers, of which you’ve contributed nothing?” He added that immigrants hadn’t moreover “mowed a section successful this country.”

Gill echoed the sentiment. “If you travel into the United States, you are expected to go American; you are not expected to beryllium a hyphenated American perpetually.” He based on that immoderate “third-world” cultures are incompatible pinch American values.

IQ claims

The chat escalated erstwhile Johnson cited Elon Musk‘s AI chatbot, Grok, to present race-based IQ comparisons. He claimed the mean IQ successful Haiti is 67 to 68 and about 70 successful Somalia, calling those figures the “threshold for mentally handicapped.” He contrasted that pinch a U.S. mean of 105, though immoderate information propose it is lower.

Gill agreed and linked IQ to use use, saying group who haven’t interacted pinch “the modern American world” could “have a very difficult clip staying afloat.” He added, “And the consequence is that they go a nett drain, economically, connected the remainder of the society.”

Critics said the IQ figures were inaccurate and noted that IQ arsenic a measurement of intelligence has agelong been challenged. Social media users called the speech “unvarnished gutter racism” and compared it to “Nazi propaganda.” One X personification wrote, “A ‘net drain connected the society’ is thing Hitler would say.”

Gill witnesses connected Somali welfare

Gill has antecedently focused connected Somali communities. During a House Oversight Committee hearing, he cited information showing 54% of Somali households successful Minnesota person nutrient stamps compared to 7% of native-born residents. When witnesser Brendan Ballou began responding, Gill interrupted, “There’s a large quality betwixt 54% and 7%, no?”

Gill added that 81% of Somali migrant households person use and 78% stay connected it aft 10 years. He asked, “Does large-scale Somali migration make Minnesota stronger aliases weaker?” Ballou replied, “Certainly stronger,” prompting Gill to say, “Doesn’t sound for illustration thing that makes our state stronger to me. And I deliberation about Americans would work together pinch maine connected that.”

Ballou countered that about Somali Minnesotans were calved successful the United States. Democrats, including ranking personnel Robert Garcia of California, warned against wide claims about an full community.

Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) accused Gill of xenophobia. “Asking their opinion, ‘What is your sentiment of Somalians?’ We mightiness arsenic good say, ‘What is your sentiment of Jews? What is your sentiment of achromatic people? What is your sentiment of Latinos?'”

Gill’s broader anti-islamic rhetoric

Gill’s comments connected Somalis align pinch broader statements connected Islam and immigration. In March 2026, he called for a prohibition connected Muslim immigration, writing, “No much Muslims immigrating to America.” He besides posted, “How galore Americans person to get ‘Allahu Akbar’ed earlier we recognize Islam is simply a problem?” He has said constituents are “desperately concerned about the Islamization of the Dallas area.”

In an question and reply pinch The Dallas Express, Gill said, “Most Americans and about Texans don’t want to beryllium woken up astatine 6 a.m. proceeding a Muslim telephone to prayer. I surely don’t. They don’t want Sharia rule successful their communities, successful their state, successful this country, successful immoderate measurement whatsoever.”

Gill calls for deportation of Rep. Ilhan Omar

Gill besides called for the deportation of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), penning connected X, “America would beryllium a amended spot if @IlhanMN were deported backmost to Somalia.” He later added, “We should person ne'er fto Ilhan Omar into our country.” A spokesperson defended the remarks, accusing Omar of enabling “the penetration of our state by forbidden alien Somalis.”

America would beryllium a amended spot if @IlhanMN were deported backmost to Somalia. https://t.co/ABjBQX9DXx

— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) February 4, 2025

Omar, who came to the U.S. arsenic a exile successful 1995 and became a national successful 2000 astatine property 17, called the remarks “truly disgusting.” She said, “Representative Gill’s effort to clout pursuit by threatening to deport a ineligible U.S. national because you disagree pinch them is straight retired of Donald Trump’s fascist playbook.”